Experience that broke barriers

Moneko Zoto, a trained nurse and unit matron at Bwaila Hospital, discovered she was HIV positive in 2019 while pregnant with her only child. Despite her professional experience in healthcare, she faced overwhelming emotional distress and confusion about her future, career, and societal perception of her status. Her professional title did not shield her from stigma, as society expected healthcare workers to be invulnerable, making her emotional struggle even more isolating. Zoto described the shame of collecting antiretroviral (ARV) medication, which became emotionally exhausting due to whispers and gossip from others. For nearly a year, she avoided treatment altogether, relying on herbal products instead, and nearly progressed to AIDS before collapsing three times in 2021. The collapse forced her to resume ARV treatment, marking a turning point in her recovery. She highlighted how stigma manifests through mockery, social media comments, and harmful phrases like *thupi lomaliza*, which are used to ridicule people suspected of being HIV positive. Even politicians and public figures face online ridicule, with false claims that ARVs cause mental instability—a claim Zoto dismisses as medically unfounded. Despite laws like the HIV and Aids Management Act prohibiting discrimination, many people living with HIV continue to suffer in silence. Zoto attended New Era School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Kamuzu University of Health Sciences before joining the government healthcare system in December 2010. Her experience underscores the deep-rooted stigma that persists in Malawi, where societal judgment often overrides legal protections for those affected by HIV.